L'Épopée diamantaire
Former diamond cutters' cooperative built in 1912 in Felletin, now a museum with an immersive trail and a film about this vanished trade.
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About the museum
Diamond cutting came to Felletin in 1889, brought by Blaise Vennat and Auguste Willingstorfer. For nearly a century, the diamond cutters' workshops gave life to the banks of the Creuse. Workers cut natural diamonds, first for jewelry and later for industry. In 1906 they founded a workers' cooperative, which had its building constructed in 1912 near the old river mills. Up to 80 diamond cutters worked there before it closed in 1982.
From the 1990s onward, the association Felletin Patrimoine Environnement worked to preserve the memory of the site. The restoration of the building, carried out by the commune of Felletin with the support of the Fondation du Patrimoine and the Mission Bern, was completed in spring 2023.
Today the site is the last witness to this human adventure. A staged, interactive trail immerses visitors in the atmosphere of the former workshop, with a documentary about the diamond and the gestures of cutting. The site is run by the association Felletin Patrimoine Environnement.
Highlights
- Workers' cooperative building from 1912, the last witness to diamond cutting in Felletin
- Immersive trail that recreates the atmosphere of the former workshop
- Documentary and interactive displays on the trade of the diamond cutter
- Children's visit booklet and the “Mystères & diamantaires” detective game in summer
- Free Handivisites app with audio description, French Sign Language videos and an easy-read booklet
Permanent exhibition
- Parcours immersif de l'Épopée diamantaire – Staged trail through the former cooperative, with a documentary film and interactive displays on diamond cutting.
- Operated by
- Association Felletin Patrimoine Environnement
Admission & discounts
| Adults | €7 |
|---|---|
| Reduced | €6students, job seekers, people with disabilities, groups |
| Children & teens | €5free up to age 11 · Free for children under 12; €5 for ages 12 to 17. |
| Visitors with disabilities | €6With proof. |
| Students & apprentices | €6 |
| Groups (10+ people) | €6 per personReduced-rate guided tours for groups of 10 people or more, by reservation, all year round. |
| “Mystères & diamantaires” detective game (admission included), adult | €10From June 27 to September 20, 2026; no supplement for children under 18, who must be accompanied |
Free with the Carte Luciole. Payment by bank card, cash, check or chèques-vacances.
Accessibility
- Wheelchair accessible
- Elevator: no information
- Accessible restroom: no information
- Accessible parking
- Service dogs welcome: no information
- Tactile models & exhibits: no information
- Sign language tours: no information
- Easy-to-read materials
- Audio description
The visit area is on one level and suitable for wheelchairs, with a reserved parking space near the entrance. The free Handivisites app offers audio description, a high-contrast map, large-print texts, French Sign Language videos and an easy-read booklet. Easy-read booklets can be borrowed at reception.
Kids & families
Great for kids & families
| Time needed | approx. 1.5 hrs |
|---|---|
| Kids’ admission | free up to age 11 |
- Family tours & workshops
- Activity booklet, scavenger hunt or kids’ audio guide
Visit booklet for children. Detective game in summer, open to children and young people under 18 when accompanied. Visits and activities for school classes, with a school group rate.
Getting there & parking
By public transit
Regional Nouvelle-Aquitaine buses to Felletin (lines 5, 9, 17 and R15); the nearest TER station is La Souterraine, then a TER bus to Aubusson.
By car
Parking available
Parking spaces next to the building and a reserved space for people with reduced mobility at the rear.
- Accessible parking
Felletin lies on the Limoges – Clermont-Ferrand axis, near the A71 and A89 motorways and the RN145.
Get directionsAmenities & dining
- Museum shop
Shop at the heart of the site. Picnic tables are available. The site is not air-conditioned.
Events & venue rental
The museum hasn’t published any information on this.
Plan your visit
| Guided tours | yes |
|---|---|
| School programs | yes |
| Good to know | Self-guided visit of about 1 hour to 1 hour 30 minutes. Commented guided tours for groups of 10 to 60 people, preferably in the morning, and activities for school groups, by reservation. |
